However, regarding the main point that “conservatism works every time it’s tried,” American history demonstrates the opposite — this nation has become great by overcoming conservatism, not embracing it.

George Will wrote that, “Conservatives define themselves in terms of what they oppose,” and American conservative opposition began with the Revolution itself — conservatives of that era were called Tories and

However, regarding the main point that “conservatism works every time it’s tried,” American history demonstrates the opposite — this nation has become great by overcoming conservatism, not embracing it.

George Will wrote that, “Conservatives define themselves in terms of what they oppose,” and American conservative opposition began with the Revolution itself — conservatives of that era were called Tories and Loyalists. The Founding Fathers were considered radical leftists.

Conservatives of their times opposed the 13th, 14th and 15th amendments ending slavery and the 19th Amendment giving women the vote. They fought against free public education, child labor laws, Social Security, Medicare and every civil rights and environmental protection law ever proposed.

What conservatives supported over the years included McCarthyism, racial segregation and the appeasement of Hitler before World War II. (Don’t believe it? Look up the original America First movement, circa 1940.)

True, the conservative agenda has often triumphed — Prohibition was passed, women couldn’t vote for 144 years and interracial marriage was widely banned until the 1980s.

But on all these issues and many more, America eventually defeated conservatism. By every social measure, we have grown into a more liberal nation than we were 200, 100 and 50 years ago.

The anti-conservative tide of American history can be sidetracked, but it cannot be stopped.

Mike Gaynes

Harbor

About Deeds

I disagree with Boyd Allen. He stated the shooter in Florida could not have killed those people without the gun. I say the gun could not have killed them without the shooter.

And regarding Raymond Block and his clean-up along U.S. 101. We saw him and we thank him. We believe the judge and Coos County officials are wrong in their response to your good deed. Bless you, Raymond and keep up the good work.

We can all help by reducing our use of plastic and styrofoam items that are sold as disposables but are manufactured to last forever.

I would like to make a donation to him if the Pilot will let us know where to send it.

Dora Costa

Brookings

Gun control

The liberal ideology is really something to behold. Liberals have been fighting against the Second Amendment for what appears to be forever. They have persuaded our lawmakers to propose gun-free zones to, for lack of a better explanation, promote their constituent sympathizers to bring their guns to practice their latest lunacy on our children.

Gun control does not work! It is pure lunacy. Ask yourself why Chicago, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Detroit and a multitude of other liberal strongholds are not gun-safe after imposing the strictest gun laws known to mankind. The latest controversy is being used to again ‘gin-up’ the gun-control debate. Do they care about our school-age children? No! They want the issue.

The Second Amendment is the law of our land. It was debated and placed into our constitution as a means for individuals to have the right of self protection. Gun-free zones must be hardened and protected, and law abiding persons should be ready and trained to respond to any and all emergencies or threats.

The latest controversy is about “bump stocks” and AR-15s. The bump method of firing any semi-auto gun has been around since the advent of the semi-auto gun. Google “thumb fire of a semi-auto rifle” and you will find many examples.

I showed it to my wife, and she now recommends the thumb removal from the hands of all teenage boys. It’s logical and probably necessary. It is the liberal ideology at work.

Gun control does not and will not accomplish anything other than penalizing the law-abiding citizen who, by the way, is not a liberal constituent. Look at sanctuary cities and states. Who’d a thunk it.

Richard Laskey

Brookings

Speak out

“Never be with a guy who raises his hand to you,” and “Never let anyone tell you that you can’t do something just because you’re a girl.” As a father, I believe they’re the two most important life lessons I ever taught my daughter.

I was amazed to witness Tom Huxley break both in the span of a minute at the Feb. 7meeting.

I was taught as a child that a man does not raise his hand to a woman, as Huxley did to Chair Sue Gold for mistakenly referring to him as Commissioner Court Boice. It may have been done jokingly, but some jokes are in such poor taste as to be offensive. It might have been funny once, a long time ago, to feign slapping a woman with the back of your hand, but then, ethnic jokes were funny once too.

At the special meeting on Feb. 28, as he said he would, Commissioner Boice asked Commissioner Gold to join him in publicly condemning Huxley’s recent misogynistic statement. The raising of Huxley’s hand went unmentioned. Commissioner Gold declined, citing a wish to review the tape, as she did not think his comments that offensive.

As Commissioner Boice pointed out in his ad, just because she didn’t find it offensive doesn’t mean it wasn’t. Remember, Sen. Kruse thought he was just being friendly, but his staff and others thought quite the opposite.

If you agree with Commissioner Boice that we cannot allow Huxley’s egregious behavior to continue without comment, please reach out to Commissioner Gold and express your thoughts and comments to her. She can be reached at 541-247-3260 or email at golds@co.curry.or.us. Or come by the next BOC meeting Wednesday, March 7. The meeting starts at 10, but if you want to speak, you must be there earlier to submit a speaker slip. Hope to see you there.